Category: Theatre Plays

A review on Pakistani Drama-Movement theatre play, Soch (2018). It was performed at NAPA International Theatre Festival 2018.

+ Crew

• Written & Directed by Bazelah Mustafa
• Lighting by Aisha Bukhtiyar
• Music by Masood ur Rehman
• Produced by Bee M Productions

+ Note

Soch is an exploration of acknowledging the agony but welcoming contentment. Traumas do not spare anyone but when examination over the sufferings in life becomes continuous, one usually ignores the happiness around. It is a collection of distressing life experiences and the aspiration of euphoria.

+ Performers

1. Bazelah Mustafa
2. Shahrukh Arif
3. Sheraz Jhakrani
4. Umer Arshad
5. Hunain Kamaal
6. Asfand Yar
7. Ahad Tauqeer
8. Danish Irshad
9. Waqar Nadeem
10. Wasay Qureshi
11. Rehan Nazim
12. Gaizan Abbas
13. Saqib Ali
14. Raam Govind
15. Kiran Siddiqui
16. Raheel Siddiqui
17. Asma Noor

 

+ Plot
It’s the expression of broken souls and sore bodies. Don’t murder your dreams but make them come true.

+ High Points
i – Great direction by multi-talented star, Bazelah Mustafa. In this play too, she had not only directed but written, choreographed and performed as well. She is no doubt, a valuable star for our theatre world.

ii – Splendidly written screenplay by Bazelah; making the scenes very interesting. Since this is a movement play, so your interest level could now be focused only on the screenplay and performances.

iii – The performance given by Bazelah Mustafa was not only the best out of the lot but it clearly showed that her body language was the most flexible and suitable for such movement plays. Bazelah’s bold performance on several occasions throughout the play has made the audience eager to see more of her performances in her upcoming projects.

iv – Gaizan Abbas bought pleasant humor in his effective performance as one of the drug addicts. Other Honorable Mentions: Hunain Kamaal, Waqar Nadeem and Asma Noor.

v – The humor level supersedes when it comes to a serious play like Soch. And it suits well with the characters that portrayed them.

vi – Good dance choreography during its musical sequences.

vii – Excellent use of the body movement and the use of its creativity such as family tree, playground scene, clock and many more.

viii – The lighting was efficiently controlled and executed.

+ Low Points
i – Most of the daring and more interesting roles were performed by Bazelah Mustafa. It would be recommended if next time it is more properly distributed, give other performers the chance to prove themselves worthy so that they could highlight themselves as well.

ii – The play would have been unforgettable for the times to come if there were stronger performers in this 17 performers’ play.

+ Overall
Soch is a daring, sensational and graceful hit play which has been produced in a long time.

Rate: 4.25 out of 5 stars

A review on a foreign Dance-Movement theatre play, Do Tone (2018). It was performed in NAPA International Theatre Festival 2018.

+ Performers & Musicians

1. Katrin Schafitel
2. Gergely Lukacs
3. Sascha Luer
4. Simon Otto
5. Sunil Shanker
6. Fawad Khan
7. Kulsoom Aftab
8. Umair Rafiq
9. Raheel Siddiqui

+ Note

Do Tone is a Dance + Music + Audience play (literally without a plot). It is an art form that reacts spontaneously to the current circumstances in able to work with them. A trio of the most prominent artists from Germany, Switzerland and Pakistan have worked in this project.

+ High Points
i – Aside the German performers, we have great stars like Sunil Shankar, Fawad Khan, Kulsoom Aftab in the performers’ lineup for us theatre lovers to come and watch the play.

ii – The music is nicely played by the German musicians. It kept the mood going.

iii – The lighting is effectively handled.

iv – Kartin Schafitel was able to bring smiles to the audience faces in the end.

+ Low Points
i – Is this is a joke? I mean, really? It seems that NAPA management is playing with the people, such as pulling our legs to see who falls for these kinds of dull plays? Just to check out the audience tolerance level.

Afterwards, they are going to say, “See, we are just kidding. we do have very good quality plays like the one we performed in last year’s festival. do ignore these, as we were just testing you only”.

ii – A play without any directions or knowing where its headed to?

iii – Waste of talented stars in this dance play.

+ Overall
Do Tone is easily a forgettable play, where there’s only little to admire here.

Rate: 1.0 out of 5 stars

A review on Foreign Drama-Movement theatre play, Resurrection (2018). It is a dance ritual on breathlessness, passion, oneness and survival.

+ Note

Resurrection is dedicated to all those who lost their lives due to oppressive systems. Made with original music, the piece includes a poetic monologue written in English & Arabic. The piece was created and developed over the course of 10 years and it reached its current performativity form in 2016-17.

This play was triggered by the collective death of 50 theatre artists in the South of Egypt on 5^th Sep 2005. The Egyptian state is still to be held responsible for this collective death by means of negligence and disrespect to the theatre community in specific, and disrespect to human dignity in general.

Goethe-Institut has helped greatly in making many of the performances in this 6^th International Theatre & Music Festival 2018. Special thanks to other consulates and embassies for their support.

+ Performer

• Nora Amin

 

 

 

 

+ Plot
A fire took place in a small state theatre venue, and among the deceased was Saleh Saad, who had a vision of his death before this trauma occurred.

+ High Points
i – The lighting behind this tragic play helped with the performance different moments and beats.

ii – The sole performance of Nora Amin is nicely presented.

+ Low Points
i – Since most of the audience are non-Arabic, it would have been preferable for the narrator to tell the intro in English.

ii – The translation of Arabic verses during the performance into English was becoming mixed up, difficult to understand as it was spoken almost side by side.

+ Overall
Resurrection is unquestionably an emotional play for those who were directly or indirectly linked and witness to this the real-life tragic incident that occurred. But the play itself could not sustain to make its mark as to be remembered by with fond memory.

Rate: 1.25 out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani Drama theatre play, Ga’on Mae Roshni (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

 

 

 

+ Crew

• Directed by Sheema Kirmani & Anwer Jafri
• Written by Anwer Jafri (Adapted)

 

 

 

 

+ Note

Ga’on Mae Roshni is a Lahore theatre group play. Its original script is in English by Jo Clifford.

 

 

+ Full Cast

1. Sheema Kirmani as Narrator / Kali / Old Woman
2. Sumaira Shahzad as Narrator and Sita
3. Haris Khan as Bantu / Husband of Sita
4. Imran Khan as Narrator / Old Landlord / Lawyer
5. Waheed Ali as Younger Brother of Old Landlord

 

 

 

+ Plot
In the beginning goddess Kali, Personifying Mother Nature explains how the environment of this planet sustains life but it does not tolerate excesses committed against it.

 

 

+ High Points
i – Creative ways to show the sexual assault with dark blue lights and hard light flash from low angle of the assaulter. Also the way the play showed the lone man running and struggling to find work in the city.

ii – The message regarding how much struggle and hardships are sacrificed by the villagers in able ‘to live their dreams for a good peaceful life’ was presented nicely. Including the real reason behind how the arrival of the electricity to their village is well portrayed.  

iii – The performances by everyone were reasonable.

 

+ Low Points 
i – Since almost every actor played multiple roles, then it would have been better for the audience ease that the characters change should be in another costume or carry character related props to differentiate.

ii – Although a fair, just ending is showed but also a predictable one. Also, that it was explicit to how they presented it.

iii – The play time length should be reduced by 30 – 40 minutes. 

iv – When the sexual assault take place by the two men but then the telling it loudly that what just happened was ‘Rape’! It is funny really that you had to announce it to the audience as everyone understood the scene clearly. Suppose we are watching at wedding night scene in a film, there husband sits closely to his newly wedded wife while saying some romantic dialogues to her and the room’s lights switched off. Then we hear the narrator’s voice who says that they had ‘Sex’ last night.

See? It’s pointless. Why does the narrator has to tell that when it is obvious that what must have happened… unless something else have occurred then yes, do tell that in the narration? Otherwise it is strictly no.

Don’t put everything on the plate for the audience to consume. Let them understand some things on their own.

v – Not once but twice I noticed that for couple of seconds the performers forgot their next lines.

vi – Some of the scenes were too dramatic.

vii – The visuals of villagers’ suffering could be showed when there no scene sharing but just the narrator voice over it. You see that when an actor is performing, his body movement, gesture and speech should be the main criteria that the audience should be focusing on rather than the visuals shown in the background. If we have a strong performer, his speech should be so convincing that the imagination that is being portrayed in the people minds would be more than enough to share the pain and sympathy that the poor people must be suffering in such times.

 

+ Overall
Despite a few good moments, Ga’on Mae Roshni never really grabs the viewers in linking the emotive touch.

 

Rate: 2.0 out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani Drama theatre play, Chup aka Quiet (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

+ Crew

• Set Designed & Directed by Sunil Shankar
• Written by Fawad Khan

+ Note
Chup is Fawad Khan’s second play-write. The first one was Khawab Tha Shayed. Chup is a haunting story regarding missing person case accused of a very serious allegation. Rather than focusing on the missing person’s life, this play is about his family and their uncomfortable disturbing social life ever since of his sudden ‘Disappearance’.

Most of our audience still lacks to understand tragic scenes that are purposely shown in amusing manner; such as father keeps hearing someone’s knock on the door. It is indeed a saddening play where you may never know whether missing person (your loved one) is dead or alive? Did he left the home willingly or was he abducted by unknown groups? Never to know real answers on such cases, the pain of agony and depression is shown through this brave play.

+ Full Cast

1. Fawad Khan as Salman
2. Bakhtawar Mazhar as Ammi
3. Sunil Shanker as Abu
4. Kaif Ghaznavi as Rabia
5. Haya Khan as Zara

 

 

+ Plot
Salman has been receiving calls from an unknown number. Nobody says anything but the calls are persistent. His mother is also receiving the same calls. Father has hearing problems and yet he seems to hear knocking on the door whereas no one else does.

+ High Points
i – Fawad Khan’s performance as the responsible son was played out superbly. I have watched many plays before where his performance is usually received with a standing ovation. Fawad is one of the elite actors which NAPA has ever produced. In such intense plot we able to see Salman’s frustration & anger with his parents especially regarding on who can be behind these untraceable calls.

ii – The performances are outstanding in this play. Ms. Bakhtawar Mazhar plays the main supporting role of an old mother who dreams to see her missing son one day. The audience saw how she gave her heart out in playing this key role. Other Honorable Mentions: Sunil Shankar.

iii – This is my second play which Sunil has magnificently directed. I have gained such huge respect for him and would always consider his future directorial plays with high esteem. Great work Sunil!

iv – The writing of this play is outstandingly written by Fawad Khan! My expectations for his playwriting has exceeded clearly. I can assure you that the writing for this play was very, very difficult yet Fawad overcame with this difficult obstacle and presented with almost a perfect script.

v – The set designed very similar to how upper middle-class interior homes are decorated.

vi – The premise of this play was a suspense one where the audience gets to know of the situation one step at a time. The ending is left ambiguous deliberately as the plot is not based upon on it.

+ Low Points
i – I believe that there could have been more exposure to Kaif’s character.

+ Overall
Strengthened by such powerful performances, Chup finds the partnership of Sunil Shankar’s intelligent direction and Fawad Khan’s superb script writing in its utmost level from this grim, dark funny play.

Rate: 5.0 out of 5 stars

A review on a Foreign Comedy Drama theatre play, Commedia D’ell Arti (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

+ Crew

• Directed by Marco Luly

+ Note
Commedia D’ell Arti is a form of theatre that originated in Italy in the 16th century and quickly spread all across Europe. It plays a crucial role in the development of Western Theatre.

+ Full Cast

1. Marco Luly as Host #1
2. Vajdaan Shah as Jester
3. Kashif Hussain as Wine Seller
4. Haris Khan as Zamin / Servant
5. Aqeel Ahmed as Beggar / Missing Husband
6. Shajahan Narejo as Critic
7. Shumaila Taj as Host #2
8. Irma Ali as Girl Friend
9. Bani Mirza as Mistress / Lady from the Audience
10. Hamza Sheikh as Spectator
11. Asma Noor as Fortune Teller
12. Nauman Qazi as Announcer
13. Muneeb Ur Rehman as Entertainer
14. Sadaf Hirani as Wife
15. Zeerak Khan Niazi as Lover Boy

 

 

+ Plot
It is a play of many short stories, related to every character, who at first performs like a spectator and listening to the ‘Host #1’ speech.

+ High Points
i – Aqeel Ahmed is a wonderful performer and always leaves his mark of the fantastic performances in his plays.

ii – Bani Mirza performed very gracefully, with strong self-belief and glamour. Though it was funny to see how the majority of the audience was taking it literally that the ‘Host’ wanted someone from them to perform. Some of the people were either shouting their or other people names as a better option than that girl in the front.

It was clear that Bani was planted but many didn’t realize that. And talking about of the girl, she seemed very nervous and seemed almost real that she is just a random girl who is forced to perform.

But the next thing you know is that she is performing with such confidence level where she knows exactly what to say without any nervousness. It is (almost) certain that the director’s intend was to show the girl as though she is part of the audience till she agrees to step on-stage. And once she is on the stage, then it does not matter if the audience does realizes by now that it was a part of the performance this whole time.

+ Low Points
i – Honestly, I am not a fan of such plays although the audience was enjoying it a lot. For people like me, we need to make up our minds before watching these kinds of plays in able to enjoy and digest them easily.

ii – Some of the stories were okay while some were just there to fill the gap.

+ Overall
Pleasant when it works, Commedia D’ell Arti is based mainly in the interplay between the characters and the audiences while the director’s brash speech is a kind of warm Italian comedy.

Rate: 3.0 out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani Comedy theatre play, Da Bhagi Marg (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

 

 

 

 

+ Crew

• Directed & Costumes Designed by Rauf Afridi
• Written by Dairo Fo
• Set Design by Javed Shb

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ Note
Da Bhagi Marg is an adaptation of Dairo Fo’s famous play ‘Accidental death of an Anarchist’. Some of his work regular playgoers requested that he write the play to provide counter information to the misinformation being propagated about the event by the media. He further researched the case thoroughly, drawing from two officials enquirers as well as facts shared by friendly journalists and lawyers. His aim was to present this counter information in a way that would be accessible to all.

This is the second theatre play Rauf Afridi has directed. The first one was for the kids by the name of ‘Tarzan’.

Da Bhagi Marg’s first 20 – 30 minutes was in Pashto language while the rest of the play is in both Urdu (majorly) language.

 

 

 

 
+ Full Cast

1. Azaib Khan as Jaali
2. Addy Khan as Insp Daar
3. Hammad Khan as SP
4. Essa Khan as Constable
5. Aham Ali Khan as Jasmine Farooqi
6. Rauf Afridi Insp Khattak

 

 

 

 

 

+ Plot
Accidental death of an Anarchist is a form of political theatre. An Anarchist died while in police custody for questioning about a bombing in which he played no part.

 

 

 

 

+ High Points
i – Addy Khan played the role of Insp Daar; his performance was quite good and was able to show his talent as musician briefly. Other Honorable Mentions: Hammad Khan.

ii – The costumes worked the most suitable way for the characters.

iii – For this comic play, in the cast we have Addy Khan, Hammad Khan and Rauf Afridi as attractive star power.

iv – The set design was soundly considered and built.

v – The ‘two’ endings was a good thought and drove well for its closing.

 

 

 

 

+ Low Points
i – Stereo Type / Racist Jokes are extremely offending to any people / race you are targeting to. People who use this kind of humor to uplift their plays / projects are delusional to think that they would be respected or their work to be considered as good grade. If this humor was inserted in handful of punch lines only then to some extend would have been ignored. I know that half of the crowd was filled with the Pashto people who were ‘enjoying’ your play. I have no words to say for them.

Really! I genuinely admire your performances and liked your debut play ‘Tarzan’ where I gave its positive review too. You are not just somebody who is directing plays… you are Rauf Afridi! Make plays with good, creative humor where people remember you and your work with high esteem.

Bad comedy is no comedy. If a lay person had directed this play with this kind of humor, then I would have understood perfectly well the reason behind it. But you don’t need this type of humor to leverage your work. I know and strongly believe that you can do really, really good work with full of praises.

ii – The humor was so… childish… that in the entire play I laughed only once when I saw that two of my friends (sitting beside me) had their eyes shut and literally sleeping.

iii – There were no subtitles during Pashto scenes. I did not understand that what was the use of multiple LED monitors fixed on the higher wall for? They never played even once in the play. I wanted to know what is happening in those scenes where its audience was enjoying so much. I waited for the play to start in Urdu and… (Sigh).

 

+ Overall
Painful as it is, Da Bhagi Marg fails to add fresh, good laughs to Rauf Afridi’s great theatrics gift.

 

 

 
Rate: 0.75 out of 5 stars

 

A review on Pakistani Solo Performance theatre play, Wash Yourself of Yourself (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

 

 

 

 

+ Crew

• Directed by Joshinder Kaur Chaggar
• Choreography by Sunil Shankar

 

 

 

 

 

+ Note
“Be melting snow. Wash yourself of yourself.” This is a small portion of one of Rumi’s poem. Rumi believed in the concept of “One is All, and All is One”. You are part of a whole and the best way to experience life was to melt back into the one, just as snowflakes are individual, but when melting they become one with all.

 

 

 
+ Solo Cast

1. Joshinder Chaggar as Woman

 

 

 

 

+ Plot
The swallow is named the bird of freedom, because it is constantly in migration. This show is a journey of emotional migration.

 

 

+ High Points
i – Joshinder performed fabulously in portraying the characteristics of age transformations, her struggle to live her lifestyle and finally shed her burden & go back to innocence as once before.

ii – Her desperate attempt to be in the limelight was shown very creatively.

iii – The direction in solo performance is very difficult. However, she was able to pull this off.

 

 

 

+ Low Points
i – At times, it felt that the play was getting dragged.

ii – High possibility of differences in either accepting and liking such plays or not within the audience.

 

+ Overall
Pure agility of Joshinder is overwhelming; only those viewers who lack interest in such plays as Wash Yourself of Yourself, will be able to resist the blitz of such carefully constructed magic.

 

 

 
Rate: 3.50 out of 5 stars

 

A review on Pakistani Comic Drama theatre play, Insanwaar aka Humanoid (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

 

 

 

+ Crew

• Lighting & Directed by Arshad Malik
• Written by Jahangir Hussain
• Set Design by Javed Shb
• Costume Management by Pervaiz Iqbal
• Music by Manzoor Shb & Danish Manzoor

 

 

 

 

+ Note
Insanwaar is about a faraway future, when humans have become extinct and apes rule the planet, we find a society where there is no religion but a code of conduct based on a system of rules for the betterment of the community. The theme is very similar to ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ (2014).

These two races are compared by keeping the two stories side by side. Most of the stars played dual roles for the different timelines.

 

 

 
+ Full Cast

1. Shahid Rana as Khamsa (Judge)
2. Hammad Siddiq as Bakha / Munshi Ram
3. Zaki Ullah Khan as Bahu / Ganesh
4. Maria Baloch as Mahi / Mehro
5. Syed Jameel as Zambi Jacob / Saith
6. Mahjabeen Rehman as Zoya (Nun) / Rahiba
7. Ahmer Hussain as Banray
8. Adnan Anis as Chanray
9. Kaneez Fatima as Titli / Tai Hajjan
10. Asif Shehzad Malik as Nakora (Tattoo)
11. Babar Ali as Albert
12. Abdul Rehman as Hussain (Child)
13. Ebad Khan as Hussain (Adult)

 

 

 

 

 

+ Plot
A young ape is in love with another and their marriage is opposed by some. While the community of elders debate the merits of the case, a scenario from the past is shown during the time of humans’ existence; the society of post partition Pakistan.

Here, a young man who is a Hindu and is in love with a Muslim girl but their marriage is opposed similarly as the two lovers of Apes species.

 

 

+ High Points
i – I liked the message of the play that perhaps the ‘next species’ would be better off than us as we have created so many differences among each other (in the name of religion, caste, race, etc) that in most cases each of us could live peacefully but do not because of man-made diversity. However, that scenario is also shown where the problems don’t change much.

ii – Adnan Anis plays the role of Chanray. Not only his character was an interesting one but he also performed amusingly on-stage. Good to see improvement in your performance. Other Honorable Mentions: Hammad Siddiq and Syed Jameel.

iii – The screenplay was very effectively written with provoking dialogues.

iv – The costumes were nicely designed and did a fair job in the appearance of the characters.

v – There were hilarious moments time to time, where in some cases it was very amusing to watch. Such as the tail of Saith is cut off while Khamsa’s tail is much, much longer than his height.

vi – I was not expecting to see this kind of ending but it was a good turn around.

 

 

 

+ Low Points
i – Generally, the performances by most of the actors were okay.

ii – Since there were many characters, only 2 – 3 of them had a proper character development.

iii – There were characters in the play where I wanted to feel their pain and suffering but could not due to director / writer’s lack of efforts in building up the ‘Emotional link’ with the audience first.

iv – After hearing that a play would be performed by the name ‘Insanwaar’, my expectations were a bit high. Such stars like Ahmer Hussain, Zakiullah, Syed Jamal are well known cast for any theater play. A talented theater artist, Arshad Malik is directing this play. I feel that my expectations were cut short.

 

+ Overall
Insanwaar works just as well as a popcorn enjoyment for warm fun. It does leaves you with thought provoking questions, into the nature of humanity darker side.

 

 
Rate: 3.25 out of 5 stars

 

A review on Pakistani Drama theatre play, Antigone (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

 

 

 

 

+ Crew

• Directed by Khalid Ahmed
• Written by Jean Anouilh

 

 

 

 

 

+ Note
Jean Anouilh’s play, Antigone is a tragedy inspired by Greek mythology and the play of the same name (Antigone, by Sophocles) from the fifth century BC Jean Anouilh wrote his ‘Antigone’ in 1944, during the height of the Nazi occupation of France.

Upon Oedipus’s death, it was agreed that each of the two sons would take the throne from one year to the next. After the first year, however, the elder one refuses to step down. After a great war, all were defeated. The brothers kill each other in a duel. Creon ends up as the king. Then Creon orders Eteocles to be buried in honor while left Polyncies, the younger brother to rot on the pain of death. He announces that if anyone attempted to Polyncies a decent burial then, that person would be put to death.

The two actresses, Sehrish and Aisha play the lead role, Antigone of the different timelines.

 

 

 
+ Full Cast

1. Nadir Hussain as Creon
2. Sehrish Qadir as Antigone #1
3. Aisha Iqbal as Antigone (Younger)
4. Irfan Khan as Pahredar #1
5. Owais Mubashir as Haemon
6. Monazza Fatima Naqvi as Ismene
7. Umair Rafiq as Ravi #1
8. Rehman Qureshi as Ravi #2
9. Hani Taha as Anna
10. Godina Fernandes as Eurydice
11. Adnan Samad Khan as Ardali
12. Syed Arsalan as Pahredar #2
13. Ahmed Adil as Pahredar #3
14. Hasnain as Page

 

 

 

 

 

+ Plot
Upon the second brother’s death, Antigone resolves to defy her uncle, Creon the King for her to give Polyncies a proper burial.

 

 

 

+ High Points
i – Nadir Hussain as Creon, was the most impressive of them all! He is truly an ‘A’ class actor and his plays are most often well received by the audience.

ii – My, my… what do we have here? Sehrish Qadir as Antigone #1 gave a strong performance in scene sharing with Nadir. Sehrish clearly showed everyone that she is a serious actress who should not be taken lightly. Other Honorable Mentions: Irfan Khan, Umair Rafiq, Owais Mubashir and Aisha Iqbal.

iii – Brilliant direction by respected Khalid Ahmed. We were able to witness yet again a magnificent play.

iv – Although the play was two hours long but it was so fascinating that most of the audience’s eyes were fixed wide open on the play than concerned about the time.

 

 

 

+ Low Points
i – Audience preferred one character to be played by one person only. Unless that person is playing a different age group / spilt personality of the same character.

ii – Too much narration / story moved forward by two Ravi rather than been performed.

iii – Some of the stars’ performances were weak.

 

+ Overall
Solid performances, excellent direction, and provocative. Antigone seamlessly piles up its forceful social norms into an effective and enjoyable play.

 

 

 
Rate: 4.50 out of 5 stars